Anyone else under general for birth?

[ORMom2Four]

I had to have an emergency c-section under general anesthesia for the birth of my twins due to the anesthesiologists error while he was giving me an epidural.

Has anyone else had to have a c-section under general?

Did you ever secretely wonder if the baby you went home with was your birth child? My girls are fraternal, but one of them has the darkest skin tone. My sister said to me that she looks like she is mixed race. Strangers comment how dark she is. They joke to me that I keep her in the sun to tan her.

Because it was such an emergency, Dh was not allowed in the room when they were born, so neither of us were "there" for the birth.

No flames please I feel bad as it is to even have the thought cross my mind.

 

[Magic Mom]

It's probably all OK, but if it really bothers you, why don't you do a DNA test just for your own peace of mind. Then you can put your concerns to rest and focus on your sweet babies.

 

[nmmom95]

I had one c-section in a "twilight" and one under general anesthesia. I was not awake to see either of my sons born and DH was not in there (both emergencies). Epidurals don't work on me. I know that sounds crazy, but only one side gets numb, and it happened in 2 different hospitals. No flames from me. I remember wondering if I was allowed to be alone with my first son after they brought him in for a feeding. lol I'm sure the hospital is very careful with newborns. BTW, your twins are adorable! Congratulations!

 

[DebbieB]

That happened to a friend of mine, they could not get the epidural to work so had to do a general. But her son looks just like her.

I agree that I would get a DNA test just to ease your mind. Forgive me for asking, but were they conceived naturally? I always think that I would be concerned about a mixup with IVF or artificial insemination.

 

[golfgal]

My DD15 has beautiful olive skin, my DS15 is about as pale as they come. DH and I are pretty pale (he more so than me). DD has dark brown hair, DS had white blond hair (now more of a dishwater blond). It took us several months before we could see any resemblance between DD and ANYONE in the family.

 

[abdmom]

I had a emergency C section under general anaesthetic. There's no doubt that ds was our child though - dh and I have significantly different features and ds looks like a blend. DS#1 is extremely dark, just like his father and ds#2 is very light like me. DH and I both have very wide feet and DD's feet are super skinny. We figure she's a throwback to my grandmother. Genetics are a funny thing.

 

[sunshine1178]

This is an excellent point. There are a lot of safeguards in place to ensure that newborns aren't switched, but there are more steps (and thus more room for error) when a lab is involved.

I guess then the question becomes, what do you do if it turns out that the child you're raising isn't genetically yours?

I do think its normal to worry about switches. I worried about it with both of mine, even though the were both so premature that there wasn't another baby within a pound of their size in the nursery!

A DNA test probably would bring you peace of mind, but I would think through the "what ifs" before you do it, so that you're prepared for any scenario.

That happened to a friend of mine, they could not get the epidural to work so had to do a general. But her son looks just like her.

I agree that I would get a DNA test just to ease your mind. Forgive me for asking, but were they conceived naturally? I always think that I would be concerned about a mixup with IVF or artificial insemination.

 

[powellrj]

I had a general with my first because he was an emergency C-section, but there is no doubt he is mine. He looks and acts like his father! He also looks so much like his little sister, many times people think he is her father! There are 13 years between them in age and he looks much older than he is.

 

[bgirldeb]

I had to go under general with my second child. There's no doubt about him, though- he looks just like my MIL .


If you seriously have doubts, why not have a DNA test?

 

[Kimberle]

Yes. I was very, very ill with HELLP. My dd was born @ 29 weeks. No doubt she is mine.

 

[jfoofj]

Me too. I had a pretty uneventful labor, an hour of pushing then we lost my son's heart rate. I was rushed to the OR for an emergent C-section. I was put under general anesthesia, my last memory was my OB screaming at the anesthesiologist to hurry up. It was horrible. By the time my xH got the scrubs on to go into the OR my son was out.

I was very upset, because I was really looking forward to that moment where they put the baby on your chest... and the hospital I gave birth at had the rooms where you stayed the whole time amd the baby stayed with you and my husband could sleep on the couch in the room. Instead I woke up in the most awful pain, convinced the baby had died and let's just say me and morphine are not friends. I was out of my mind for at least 12 hours. I can't even believe they let me hold my baby, I was so messed up. My son ended up needing oxygen so he was in the special care nursery and not in our room. I just hated the whole experience.

My son looks so much like his Dad, though, that it is scary. I think my ex cloned himself! He has my eyes, and my freckles and coloring, but his body, features, manerisms are 100% his Dad.

Genes are funny. I'm sure there is someone in you or your husbands family with the darker coloring. I think you can do DNA tests yourself now, and if it really bothers you, do one quietly to put your mind at ease.

 

[mjkacmom]

I didn't get put under with my c/s with my twins, but I didn't get to see them after. My mom and DH did, but really, a 3 second glance at 2 screaming coated babies isn't going to help them recognize them later. I remember DH and I standing outside the nursery after #2 was born, lovingly looking at what we thought was our ds. Nope, wrong baby. They are so strict at the hospital with the bands, that it never crossed my mind.

 

[Snowysmom]

I had general anesthesia with my second DS as the epidural didn't work any more. DH came in about a minute after DS was born, just in time to see that he was a boy with the peeing that only baby boys can do . I was just happy that everything was over and everyone was healthy. DS looked just like me as a baby so we had no problem in that area. Hospitals are very careful about keeping the right baby with the right family especially in the past several years. DS is now 21 and still looks a bit like mom.

 

[ols386]

That's how I had both of my kids. No doubt that they are mine, as they both look just like their Dad.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

OP-I would totally think the same thing. You always hear about babies being switched at birth. I know it SEEMS like a ridiculous thought, but you can never be too careful!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would think that you will still receive the bracelet while under.

I believe my mom was under for my birth. She never doubted anything as far as I know.

Remember that genetic traits can skip generations...then one day recessive meets recessive and it looks like the milk man got involved.

My husband's family has an Asian in their lineage---so my children have been born with very characteristic eyes. It is rather subtle...but still there. Surpisingly his immediate children...to me...appear more mixed heritage of native american than Asian. To use the gosselins family as an example...all of their children appear very Asian and in my husband's family...the children of that mixed race marriage...don't look at all Asian.

Genetics is weird.

If you have anxiety/concern...get paternity testing or maternity testing to be sure.

Baby switches though are extremely rare and as long as the protocols to ensure baby is with right mommy occur regardless of type of delivey, then it is highly unlikely a mistake occurred.

In our hospital...baby isn't removed until he/she gets ID and security bracelet and mom is provided same number bracelet.

Not sure what happens if mom is put under.